Christmas on Lily Pond Lane: A fabulously festive, heartwarming romance (a standalone in the Lily Pond Lane series)

by Emily Harvale

  'I love it. The more lights, the happier I am.'

  They reached one of the smaller barns that had been used for storage, mainly silage, but due to the heat this summer silage stores were low and what was left had been moved to one of the other barns.

  'This is perfect,' Jane said. 'They like to be outside during the day and any of the fields you pointed out will be fine. The snow won't bother them at all. In fact, they prefer cold weather so they'll be in their element. As I mentioned in my emails, their diet consists of grass, moss and lichen and I've brought that with me, as you requested. If you need more, I'll happily bring it over. Just so you know, a male reindeer is a buck, a female is a doe, of course, and a baby is a fawn. The sound they make is called a bellow. You'll know why when you hear it. Okay. This all looks ace. Let's introduce you to the deer and them to their new home for Christmas.'

  They all trailed back to the horsebox and Jet helped Jane open the back door. Four pairs of large brown eyes stared out at them. Jane led them out, one by one.

  'This silver-grey beauty is called Sparkle. She's got a personality to match. She's two years old.' She handed the lead to Jet while Mia said hello. 'This chocolate delight is Coco. She loves a cuddle and is a bit of a joker. She's also two.' Gill took her reins. 'And this is Doughnut. As you can see, she's a mix of silver grey and fawn. She can't make up her mind what colour she wants to be, and she can be a bit of a doughnut, so watch out for her doing silly things. She's three.' Franklin took the reins of Doughnut. 'And finally, this is Diamond Dancer. White reindeer such as this are very rare. Only one in several thousand deer is born white. They're considered to be lucky. When she walks, it looks as if she's dancing. She's the most graceful out of all of them, and can be a bit of a diva. She's special and she knows it. All of them are happy to pull a sleigh, although Diamond Dancer may need a little bit of a treat to persuade her. An apple or a carrot will do the trick. Right let's get them to the barn.'

  Jane led the way, showing them how to hold the reins and how to remove them once the deer were safely in the barn. Lori and Ella nipped back to the farmhouse to make mugs of hot chocolate and brought them out to the barn where everyone drank it and ate some mince pies Mia had bought from Jenny's earlier that morning, while they all watched the reindeer sniff the air, and investigate their new home. Then Jane gave Mia, Ella and Lori some moss to feed the reindeer.

  'They're very gentle creatures,' Jane said. 'Just feed them as you would your cows, Jet, only with the food I've brought. They eat fresh grass too, but they won't get much of that this Christmas. Here's an information sheet I printed out.' She handed it to Mia. 'It tells you all you need to know. You said there's a vet in the village?'

  Mia nodded. 'Yes. He's very good, although I don't think he's dealt with reindeer before, but when we told him we were hoping to have some over Christmas, he said he'd do some swotting up. Just in case.'

  'That's excellent. I'm sure they'll be fine, but feel free to call me anytime, day or night, if you're worried about anything. Their health and happiness is my prime concern, so please don't hesitate to call. Even if you think it's something silly. Better to be wrong than sorry.'

  'We'll take really good care of them, I promise,' Mia said. 'And you're sure it's okay for them to pull the sleigh in the village, like I told you?'

  'Absolutely. We hire reindeer out all the time to do exactly that. And from what you've told me, there isn't much traffic in your village.'

  'Hardly any,' Mia confirmed. 'Especially now, with this snow. You'll be lucky to see one car a day.'

  'Right then.' Jane went and hugged, kissed and patted each deer in turn. 'I'll say goodbye and get back to our farm. Don't forget to call if you need me. Or just call to let me know how things are going. I'd love to see photos if you do get that sleigh and do what you said you'd like to do. We have a massive board at the farm where we stick photos like that.'

  'I will,' Mia said, as she and Jet walked Jane back to the horsebox, leaving everyone else still mesmerised by the new residents at Little Pond Farm.

  They waved Jane goodbye and when the vehicle was finally out of sight, Jet spun Mia to face him and wrapped his arms around her.

  'So if the sleigh does arrive tomorrow, who, exactly are you going to get to play Father Christmas? And please don't look at me, because that's one role that I'm really not cut out for, especially as I've got black hair.'

  Mia laughed. 'You could wear a wig. You'd have to wear a body suit to make you look fat. But don't worry. I'm not thinking of you. I'm actually thinking of Fred. And Hettie can be Mrs Claus. They're perfect for the parts.'

  Jet nodded. 'You're right. They are. And Hettie can hand out presents, instead of her usual unwanted advice.'

  'Now don't be mean, Jet. It's Christmas.'

  'It is. And I fancy another very, very early night,' he said, his eyes twinkling and a devilishly sexy smile on his lips. 'Last night did me the world of good.'

  'But we didn't get much sleep.' Mia looked into his eyes and smiled. 'And it's only five o'clock.' She kissed him on the lips but quickly pulled away. 'Oh my God. It's five o'clock! The Hardmans will be arriving in precisely thirty minutes. I've got to get to Sunbeam Cottage and light the fire and turn on the lights and make sure everything's ready. And I haven't packed their welcome box yet.'

  'Don't panic. I can help. And look. Ella's running up the path and pointing to her watch. She's actually remembered something for once.'

  She had remembered, and with Ella and Jet's help, Sunbeam Cottage was warm and welcoming by the time the Hardmans arrived, which wasn't until six.

  'I apologise for being late,' a tall, blond, agile-looking man said, getting out of his Land Cruiser and smiling at Mia. 'The traffic was horrendous. It's the Friday before Christmas and everyone is heading off on their holidays, it seems. Hi. I'm Leo. Leo Hardman. You must be Mia.'

  'Hello Leo,' Mia said, taking the hand he offered and receiving a firm handshake. 'This snow doesn't help. It's melting fast, but the roads around here are taking a long time to clear.' He was around Jet's age; thirty-six, or possibly a few years older and he had a lovely, friendly smile and intense, deep green eyes.

  'This is Hal, my brother, and our parents, Elizabeth and Alistair.'

  Hal looked nothing like Leo, who obviously took after his mother, but Hal was the spitting image of Alistair, with dark auburn hair, and the palest, hazel eyes. Elizabeth's eyes were the same as Leo's except colder somehow, and her smile was nowhere near as friendly. Neither was her manner.

  'The cottage is beautiful,' Elizabeth said, her lip curling slightly. She had an air of disdain about her and looked positively horrified when her gaze alighted on the Christmas decorations, especially the ones on the roof.

  'I hope the decorations aren't too OTT,' Mia said. 'As I explained to your son on the phone, someone else was expected to be spending Christmas here, and we decorated accordingly, but due to a change of plans, we gave you this cottage as it's a little nicer than Corner Cottage and had suddenly become available.'

  Ella gave Mia a questioning look, but thankfully, didn't say a word.

  'I see,' Elizabeth said. 'And you didn't think to remove them?'

  'The decorations are lovely,' Leo said. 'Very festive. And that's what this Christmas is all about.'

  'Well let's get you inside in the warm,' Mia said, leading the way. 'There's a little welcome pack in the kitchen, and some instructions and information on where everything is and how it all works.'

  'That's great,' Hal said, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. 'I'm sure we'll figure it all out. I saw the pub as we drove up. Is that really the only place in the village to get a drink? No wine bars or cocktail bars, or decent restaurants?'

  Mia shook her head. 'That's the only place. The nearest town is about fifteen miles away. I did make that clear on the website. I hope that won't be a problem.' She kept her smile fixed in place.

  'It serves good food,' Jet added, as Mia opened the front door and stood aside to let th
em in. 'And the bakery can match any you'll find in London.'

  'And Jet's cheese is famous for miles around,' Ella added, following them all into the hall. 'You can get milk, fresh eggs, butter and cheese from Little Pond Farm. I've drawn you a map of everything in the village.'

  'That couldn't have taken long.' Hal was smiling, but Mia wanted to give him a slap.

  'Ignore my brother,' Leo said. 'He's a city boy through and through. The countryside and particularly a village like this are his absolute nemesis, but I thought it might do us all some good. We never seem to spend any time together these days.'

  'Yes,' Elizabeth said, putting her arm around Hal. 'My darling boy is only here because Alistair and I are celebrating our Ruby Wedding anniversary, and we actually met in this village, many years ago. Leo has a rather romantic disposition and thought he would surprise us with this … treat. And what a surprise it was when I realised our destination. I thought it might have changed, but I can see it's exactly as it was all those years ago. It's like stepping back in time.' She didn't look at all happy about it. 'Darling Hal goes along with everything, dear Leo does, so he's here for Leo, and for us, of course, not because he wants to spend Christmas in a tiny village.' She smiled at Mia but Mia wasn't sure if Elizabeth was agreeing with her son or making excuses for his rudeness. She was being equally as rude.

  'That's how I felt until I lived here,' Mia said. 'I never thought I'd want to live anywhere but London. Until I came here. Now I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.'

  Hal gave a snort of derision. 'I don't expect you'd say that if you had a few million quid in the bank.' He sauntered into the living room and glanced around.

  Mia clenched her fingers but she beamed at him when he turned back to face her.

  'Actually, Hal. I do have a few million quid, as you put it. Several million, in fact. And I still wouldn't dream of moving away from this village. I love everything about it and everyone in it. I hope you'll enjoy your stay. My phone number's with the welcome pack, should you need to call. We'll say good evening, unless there's anything else you'd like to ask.'

  Hal's face was a picture but Leo looked a little cross and when Mia turned to leave, he followed her outside.

  'Please excuse my brother,' he said. 'Sometimes he forgets his manners. And I thought Mum would love to come back here, but I think I may have misjudged her enthusiasm for the place.' Leo was definitely being sincere. Mia could see that from his eyes. They were such expressive eyes.

  She smiled at him and relaxed. 'And sometimes I forget mine. It's fine. I hope you do enjoy your stay, but if you've made a mistake and feel you want to leave, please tell me and we'll sort something out. It's Christmas and I'd hate for any of you to be unhappy here.'

  'There's a pub. The cottage is gorgeous and it backs onto a beach. We've brought food and wine and if there's anything Hal, or Mum, can't live without, London's not that far away. I'm sure we'll have a great time, Mia. Have a wonderful Friday night. And thank you for the welcome pack.'

  'My pleasure, Leo. You have a wonderful Friday night too.'

  'You didn't mention the carol evening tomorrow,' Ella said, as they walked back to Jet's car.

  'I noticed that,' Jet said. 'That Hal's an arrogant little shit, isn't he? And as for the mum. Well. I'm glad I didn't have a mum like that. She looked as if she'd just stepped out of one of those upmarket magazines and had misplaced her pedestal. And it was abundantly clear that Hal is her favourite son, wasn't it? I actually felt a bit sorry for Leo. He seemed like a nice guy.'

  'Yes,' Mia said. 'The father didn't say a word. Did you spot that? Elizabeth clearly rules that roost. And I didn't mention the carol evening because I want it to be fun. I can't see the Hardmans trudging through snow, swinging lanterns and singing along with the locals, can you? Apart from maybe Leo.'

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The sky was blue and there wasn't a cloud to be seen when Mia got up on Saturday morning. She had received a call last night from the store where she'd ordered the sleigh, advising her the sleigh would be delivered by lunchtime on Saturday, weather permitting, so despite her longing for more snow, she was pleased to see the sunshine.

  She had discussed her idea with Fred and Hettie, who were more than happy to play Father Christmas and Mrs Claus. Ella and Gill were taking them to the fancy dress shop in Little Whitingdale this morning, to find appropriate outfits. And Hettie had suggested that Prince Gustav play a part.

  'He could be an elf,' Hettie had said.

  'An elf?' Ella rolled her eyes. 'Of course, he could. Why not?'

  'I like the idea,' Mia said.

  'Of course you do,' said Ella.

  'Will you need someone to drive the sleigh?' Mia asked. 'Or whatever you do with sleighs.'

  'I can handle the reindeer,' Fred said. 'I used to do some carriage racing in my younger days. Reindeer are a bit like a cross between a horse and a cow. It shouldn't be a problem.'

  'You're simply full of surprises, Fred,' Ella said.

  Hettie had chuckled. 'You should see him in the bedroom.'

  That had brought that conversation to an abrupt halt as both Mia and Ella exchanged glances and simultaneously said they had to be somewhere else.

  'God,' Ella said, as they virtually ran down the drive of Duckdown Cottage, 'Can you imagine Hettie and Fred in the bedroom?'

  'I can, but I'd really rather not. Let's get some cakes from Jenny's and go home.'

  'Good idea. Not that I can face food after what I've just heard.'

  They hurried to Lake's Bakes where Mia was surprised to see Cathy and Christy and their kids standing at the end of a queue. She was even more surprised to see that Leo Hardman who was in the queue in front of them, turned around, smiled at the little group and stepped aside to let them go before him.

  'Am I imagining things,' Ella asked, 'or did Leo Hardman just let Cathy and Christy go ahead of him?'

  'You're not imagining it.'

  'It's weird how one brother can seem so nice and the other is a complete and utter plonker.'

  'I couldn't have said it better myself. And yet yesterday, the mum was all over the horrid one, but didn't take much notice of Leo, as Jet pointed out. Isn't it typical that the awful one is her favourite and the nice one gets ignored?'

  Ella nodded. 'Yeah. At first I thought the mum was nice but whenever she opened her mouth, I couldn't be sure if she was being friendly but foolish, or merely sarcastic.'

  'Same here. I wonder how and where the mum and dad met? I know it was in this village, but why were they here and where were they staying?'

  'I'm not sure I care,' Ella said. 'And I think I'll be happy when they leave. I wonder who's sleeping in my bed? It'd better not be the evil brother.'

  'If it is, we'll give your bed to charity and buy you a new one. Hello Cathy, Christy, and Leo. And these two gorgeous girls must be Daisy and Dylan. Hello.'

  Everyone exchanged greetings and Dylan held out a crocheted bunny.

  'Who's this?' Leo asked, bending down to eye level with Dylan.

  Mia and Ella looked at one another in surprise and so did Cathy and Christy, Mia noticed.

  'Wabbit,' Dylan replied, sticking her forefinger in her mouth and twisting her little body to and fro.

  Leo smiled. 'Hello wabbit. I'm Leo.'

  'Le-o,' Dylan said, darting a look up at her mum.

  'And who's this?' Leo asked Daisy, who was clutching a bear.

  Daisy seemed a little shy and backed away a couple of inches. Leo appeared to notice because he moved back too, increasing the gap between them.

  'I had a bear very similar when I was around your age,' he said. 'In fact, I've still got him. His name is Ulysses. He was a very adventurous bear but he's old now and doesn't get out much. His favourite drink is hot chocolate and he loves a sticky bun. One of those ones with lots of icing on. What does your bear like?'

  Daisy gave a tiny smile. 'Barney likes hot chocolate too. But he hasn't had a sticky bun.'

  'No?' Leo's
green eyes were alight with amusement and Mia was mesmerised by him. So were the others it seemed because no one was saying a word. 'Well, Daisy and Barney, we'll have to do something about that, won't we? Sticky buns all round, I think, don't you?'

  Daisy glanced at Cathy who smiled at her and Daisy quickly nodded. 'Yes,' she said. 'Yes please. Do you live here?'

  'No. I'm here for Christmas. Do you?'

  Daisy shook her head. 'No.' She pointed down the lane towards Corner Cottage. 'We're here for Christmas too. There's a snowman on the roof and candy canes in the garden. And me and Dylan built a snowman but it's melted nearly.'

  'Oh, that's a shame. I'll tell you what. If we get more snow, I'll come and help you build another one. There's one on the roof where we're staying. And also reindeer.'

  'Reindeer?' Daisy's eyes lit up. 'Dylan. There's a reindeer on his roof.'

  'Four of them,' Leo corrected, grinning.

  'Four?' Daisy sounded so excited and Dylan's eyes were huge.

  'Guess what?' Mia said, unable to resist any longer. 'We've got real live reindeer at Little Pond Farm.'

  Daisy and Dylan looked at one another and shrieked with delight. 'Real ones?' Daisy asked.

  Mia nodded. 'And tonight they'll be in the village with a very special guest.'

  The children shrieked again and Leo got to his feet, his brows raised as he smiled at Mia.

  'I'm impressed. Real reindeer? You didn't mention those last night.'

  'They're not ours. We've only got them for Christmas.'

  'Will they be with the carol singers?' Cathy asked.

  'Carol singers?' Leo interrupted. 'There'll be carol singers in the village tonight?'

  'Yes,' Mia said. 'And yes, Cathy. The reindeer and the special guest will be with the carol singers. I believe we're starting at five-thirty from The Frog and Lily and we'll be coming down the lane to Corner Cottage first, then turning around and going across this green to here and then around towards the church and up to the cottages on Frog Hill. I think your girls may particularly like the special guest and his wife.' She winked at her.